Ball State University
9-8, 2-2MAC
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Western Michigan
10-6, 3-1MAC
WVB?s Rally Falls Short In Loss At Western Michigan
September 29, 2012 | Women's Volleyball
KALAMAZOO, Mich. - - The road woes continued for the Ball State women's volleyball team Saturday evening, as it suffered a 3-1 (25-11, 25-21, 20-25, 25-19) setback to Mid-American Conference rival Western Michigan at University Arena.
The Cardinals, who have lost their last five matches away from Worthen Arena, fall to 9-8 (2-2 MAC) with the loss, while the Broncos improve to 10-6 (3-1 MAC) .
Freshman setter/outside hitter Jenna Spadafora (Fort Wayne, Ind./Carroll) would lead the Ball State attack, tying her career high with 11 kills in the match. She also hit .308 (11-3-26), while tallying three digs and a block assist.
Senior outside hitter Kara Bates (Bradley, Ill./Bradley Bourbonnais Community/Maryland) also tallied 11 kills in the contest, while adding 10 digs for her third kill/dig double-double of the season.
Senior transfer middle hitter Lisa Scott (McLean, Va./Langley/Maryland) and junior opposite hitter Lauren Grant (Eagan, Minn./Eastview/Cincinnati) would add nine and seven kills, respectively.
Junior libero Catie Fredrich (Menomonee Falls, Wis./Menomonee Falls) paced the Ball State defense with 15 digs.
After being limited to a .000 (8-8-31) hitting mark in the opening set, the Cardinals rebounded to finish the match connecting at a .266 (48-15-124) clip. Unfortunately, the Western Michigan offense finished the day with a .336 (60-17-128) rate of success. WMU also held a 54-43 edge in digs and a 7-4 advantage in blocks.
WMU's Jessica Brown and Richelle Ranney tied for match-high honors with 13 kills apiece, while Ali Goosen added 10. Lena Oliver led all players with 23 digs.
A pair of early kills from Bates helped the Cardinals play to a 2-2 tie in the opening set. However, Western Michigan would score the next six points and never look back, winning the frame 25-11.
The Broncos continued to hold the momentum in the second set, scoring the first three points on the way to a 4-1 edge. An ace from freshman defensive specialist Kati Vasalakis (Yorktown, Ind./Yorktown) would get the Cardinals back within one, at 4-3, but WMU would regain control moments later as back-to-back aces from Terin Norris helped force a Ball State timeout at 11-5. WMU put it on cruise the rest of the way, winning the set 25-21.
Junior middle hitter Mindy Marx (Grand Haven, Mich./Grand Haven) opened the third set with a kill to give Ball State its first lead of the match, while a kill and ace from junior setter Jacqui Seidel (St. Charles, Ill./St. Charles East) helped BSU hold the lead at 3-2. After WMU tied the score at 6-6, a pair of kills from Spadafora and a Marx solo block helped BSU pull ahead by four at 11-7.
A Bates kill and three WMU miscues led to a six-point Ball State lead and a Broncos' timeout at 15-9. Two more kills from Seidel, as well as another Spadafora blast, helped the Cardinals maintain the six-point advantage at 21-15. A Bates kill gave BSU set-point at 24-19, while Grant would connect for a frame-winning marker at 25-20.
The teams played to a 3-3 tie in the fourth set, before the hosts put together a 9-4 run to take a 12-7 edge. Following a BSU timeout, a kill from Bates and a WMU attack error cut the edge to three at 12-9. Ball State would get as close as one point, at 16-15, only to see the Broncos rattle off the next three to force BSU's second timeout at 19-15. WMU would go on to win the set 25-19.
The Ball State women's volleyball team will look to rebound from a tough road weekend Friday, when it returns to Worthen Arena for a 7 p.m. first serve versus Central Michigan. Ball State has won its last six home matches this season, and owns a 7-1 mark at Worthen Arena this season.
